Symptoms

If you have a harmless heart murmur, more commonly known as an innocent heart murmur, you likely won't have any other signs or symptoms.

An abnormal heart murmur may cause no obvious other signs, aside from the unusual sound your doctor hears when listening to your heart with a stethoscope. But if you have these signs or symptoms, they may indicate a heart problem:

Skin that appears blue, especially on your fingertips and lips

Swelling or sudden weight gain

Shortness of breath

Chronic cough

Enlarged liver

Enlarged neck veins

Poor appetite and failure to grow normally (in infants)

Heavy sweating with minimal or no exertion

Chest pain

Dizziness

Fainting

When to see a doctor

Most heart murmurs aren't serious, but if you think you or your child has a heart murmur, make an appointment to see your family doctor. Your doctor can tell you if your heart murmur is innocent and doesn't require any further treatment or if an underlying heart problem needs to be further examined.

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